Thursday, June 9, 2011

AFL-CIO urges recess appointment for Warren

The AFL-CIO is calling for a recess appointment of Elizabeth Warren as the head of the fledgling Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB).

In an email sent to the labor federation’s activists Thursday, AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka asked them to urge President Obama to appoint Warren to the head of the agency.

“No matter who gets the recess appointment of President Obama, Republicans have made it clear they’ll scream and holler. This reflects a sorry state in our politics — but it’s also a historic opportunity to recess appoint Elizabeth Warren, who’s already shown as acting director of the CFPB that she’s a true champion for working families,” Trumka wrote in the email. “Urge President Obama to recess appoint Elizabeth Warren — who will truly stand up for consumers.”

At the moment, Warren is a special adviser to the bureau, which was created by the Dodd-Frank financial services reform bill that passed last year. Warren, seen as a liberal champion who has been tough on Wall Street, has come under heavy criticism from Republican lawmakers.

Last month, 44 GOP senators said they would filibuster any nominee to head up the agency unless changes were made to the bureau. That has been countered by a letter from 89 House Democrats sent to Obama last week calling for a recess appointment of Warren as head of the bureau.